Our natural treasures:

The Catawba

The Catawba River's abundant wildlife, fish-filled waters and fertile shoreline have lured people for thousands of years. Native Americans have lived along the river and fished its waters for many centuries. The Catawba Indians have a community just south of the Catawba River District in South Carolina.

European pioneers followed Native American trading trails to the river ford at today's Tuckaseege Park in Mount Holly Historic Tuckaseegee Ford Park in Mecklenburg County. Over the past three centuries, the Catawba has evolved from a sustainable life source for Native Americans to its position today as home and natural resource to a much larger population of many families and businesses.

Eleven lakes created by dams are part of the river, including Mountain Island Lake and Lake Wylie. People built the dams to generate electricity. Today the lakes have become our region's playground as well as the source of water for more than a million people. About 1,000 acres of lake and river lie inside of the Catawba River District.

Learn more: Click HERE to download a North Carolina document on the Catawba River Basin